5 big records Ravichandran Ashwin has already broken in 2023
Ravichandran Ashwin has been on a record-breaking spree in 2023. The veteran Indian off-spinner picked another five wicket-haul against the West Indies in Dominica on Wednesday. He got rid of the two openers, two middle-order batters, and their No. 11 in a display of unmatched and nuanced skill and variety.
The 5/60 would be one of his sweetest fifers. It came soon after his snubbing from the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia despite being India's best bowler in the WTC cycle.
The five-wicket haul also completed a full five of the massive records he has broken this year, and it's only July!
The following is a look at these records:
#5 Fastest Indian to 450 Test wickets
Ashwin's first wicket of the opening Test of this year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur - bowling Alex Carey out - was his 450th in Tests. This coming in just his 89th Test, the off-spinner became India's fastest to reach the milestone.
Before him, Anil Kumble took 93 Tests to take 450 Test wickets 18 years ago. Ashwin is the second-fastest bowler overall, as Sri Lanka's Muthiah Muralidaran reached 450 wickets in only his 80th Test in 2003, 11 years after making his Test debut.
#4 Most international wickets by Indians in wins
In the second innings of the Nagpur Test, Ashwin bagged a five-wicket haul to help India win by an innings and 132 runs. His final wicket of the match was getting Carey (again) lbw. This took his overall wickets in international wins for India (across formats) to 489, helping him surpass Kumble's tally of 486.
Another great Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh picked up 410 wickets in international wins. Currently, Ashwin sits at 495 such wickets and is eighth overall.
If India win the first Test against West Indies, Ashwin will at least level (if he doesn't pick one more wicket in the second essay) Waqar Younis' tally of 500 wickets in Test wins.
Stat courtesy: Kausthub Gudipati
#3 Most Test wickets by an Indian against a team
Later in the last Test of the same Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which ended in a mundane draw, Ashwin's wicket of Todd Murphy in the first innings was his 112th against Australia in Tests. This put him past Kumble's tally of 111 wickets against the same opponent, making him the highest Test wicket-taker against one opponent in India.
Kapil Dev (99 vs Pakistan), BS Chandrasekhar (95 vs England), and Harbhajan Singh (95 vs Australia) follow them in the chart. Ashwin took two more wickets in the match to become the seventh-highest wicket-taker against Australia overall but James Anderson went past him recently in the 2023 Ashes.
Shane Warne holds the overall record with 195 wickets against England.
Stat courtesy: Kausthub Gudipati
#2 Fastest Indian to 700 international wickets
On Wednesday, Ashwin's dismissal of Alzarri Joseph in the 53rd over took him to 700 international wickets across formats. He became only the third Indian after Kumble and Harbhajan to reach the landmark and the fastest among them.
Ashwin took 351 innings to reach there compared to Kumble's 381 and Harbhajan's 435. The Chennai-born spinner also became the second-fastest overall, surpassing Warne (354) and falling only behind Muralidaran (308). He's the fastest among active cricketers.
#1 Ashwin has the most Test five-wicket hauls among current players
The 36-year-old's five-wicket haul on Wednesday was his 33rd in international cricket, making him the player with the most number of fifers among current players. And the record came for him in just his 93rd match.
England pacer James Anderson was the previous leader with 32 but took almost double the matches to reach there (181). Australia's Nathan Lyon is much behind at 25 from 122 matches. Muralidaran and Warne lead this list too, with 67 and 37, respectively.